Villa Las Palmas was built around 1910 by John R. Mann for the prosperous lumberman, Nathaniel B. Borden. The California mission-style residence was a gift to Borden's 17-year-old bride. Legend has it that when the 52-year-old Borden asked Sea Captain Reynard for his daughter's hand in marriage, he was told in no uncertain terms "no." Nathaniel supposedly reacted by throwing his future father-in-law overboard. It isn't surprising then that Nathaniel and Florence (Flossie) were married in Havana, Cuba.
Borden died in July, 1938 and Villa Las Palams was reportedly sold in 1944 for $12,000 to Harry Sahlman, the shrimping pioneer.
